Monster movies are a popular subgenre that often features unique, threatening creatures, resulting in exciting and thrilling narratives, but a few monster films over the years have taken longer to earn proper appreciation. Many of these films fall into the horror and science-fiction genre, from the underrated creature film Deep Rising to the now-deemed cult classic Anaconda. The reasons for the poor box office performances of these monster movies include unfortunate release dates, deceptive marketing, and unintentional campy tones audiences couldn't get behind.

Regardless of whether audiences have changed their tune about such monster movies, the response upon the films' release was less than enthusiastic. Though it's understandable why a handful of monster films were unsuccessful, it's a shame considering they contain enjoyable components that should have been more than enough to lead them to success at the box office.

10 Howl (2015)

Directed by Paul Hyett

Many of the best werewolf movies are from the '80s, as more recent releases find difficulty standing out. One of these movies is the 2015 British horror film Howl. The film didn't have a theatrical release but did premiere at several film festivals. Still, Howl hasn't made much noise, and it's unfortunate considering it has plenty going for it. Though werewolf movies from decades earlier sur Howl in of originality and storytelling, it's still an enjoyable watch worthy of a dedicated following.

Howl sees a group of train engers fighting against a vicious werewolf. The enclosed setting adds a great amount of tension and increases the frightening atmosphere throughout the film. The scares in Howl also benefit from the special effects handled by the film's director, Paul Hyett. With experience in films like The Descent and The Woman in Black, Hyett's work in Howl is highly effective, allowing the film's gory action to be convincing.

9 Split Second (1992)

Directed by Tony Maylam

Set in a flooded London, Split Second has a promising story and themes that should've allowed it to be a bigger hit. Unfortunately, the monster and setup within Split Second are too reminiscent of other monster movies, which ultimately left audiences feeling unsatisfied with much of the film. Split Second follows a policeman (Rutger Hauer) on the hunt for a murderous creature that came to be as a result of an environmental crisis.

Much of Split Second takes itself too seriously, but it's nearly impossible for audiences to do the same. Years later, audiences are better able to appreciate the film for its unintended humor. Had Split Second gone a comedic route, the environmental commentary combined with the threat of a ruthless monster could have had a similar impact on critics and audiences, like films such as The Blob or The Stuff.

8 Deep Rising (1998)

Directed by Stephen Sommers

Having since garnered a cult following, Deep Rising was a critical and box office failure upon its release. Deep Rising is among the scariest horror movies set at sea and follows a group of hijackers hoping to steal from an ocean liner. While on board, the crew comes face-to-face with threatening giant sea creatures. Despite having a story that feels all too familiar to horror fans, Deep Rising has a strong script and is consistently humorous, regardless of that being the intent when making the film.

There are several effective scares throughout the movie, but ultimately, Deep Rising couldn't stand out from other horror releases at the time. The B-horror movie contained too many similarities to better, well-received horror movies to leave a lasting impression on critics or audiences. However, Deep Rising boasts a handful of impressive special effects and has a strong entertainment value that should've allowed it to draw the ionate following it has today back in 1998.

7 Grabbers (2012)

Directed by Jon Wright

While Grabbers doesn't reinvent the horror-comedy genre, it's a wildly entertaining movie that explores a narrative not often seen in other monster films. Grabbers is set in a town that's invaded by bloodthirsty creatures whose one aversion is alcohol. To keep these creatures far away from the humans whose blood they wish to take, the local townspeople decide to remain drunk for as long as possible. What follows are hilarious, inebriated adventures that offer a fun viewing experience.

Grabbers is not only ridiculous in nature, but genuinely funny as well. The horror aspects in the film, while they aren't necessarily nightmare-inducing, are convincing and their effectiveness is helped by the creatures' impressive special effects. Though horror comedy films can be hit or miss, several within the genre earn immediate, high levels of praise, but unfortunately Grabbers wasn't one of them.

6 Love And Monsters (2020)

Directed by Michael Matthews

Compared to most monster films, Love and Monsters has minimal scares and is more of a coming-of-age story set in a world overrun by monsters. Originally set to release in March 2020, Love and Monsters ended up getting a limited release in select theaters, and it took time for the film to find its audience. Though Love and Monsters has a generally positive response from critics and audiences now, it's a shame uncontrollable circumstances prevented such a response from happening earlier.

Love and Monsters stars Ariana Greenblatt, Jessica Henwick, and Dylan O'Brien. The latter's character, Joel, sets out on a journey to reunite with the girl he dated before the monster apocalypse. Throughout the film, Joel gains confidence as a monster hunter and discovers the importance of community. The humor and heart in Love and Monsters are some of its strongest aspects, but the thrilling monster action sequences throughout the film are just as compelling.

5 Anaconda (1997)

Directed by Luis Llosa

Starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Owen Wilson, Anaconda was critically panned when it was first released, but it has since been considered a cult classic due to its over-the-top absurdity. The horror film follows a documentary crew who are led to hunt a giant, well-known anaconda. So-bad-it's-good horror movies like Anaconda are rarely appreciated right away, as it takes time for audiences to embrace the outrageous, often campy elements within these films.

Anaconda's script doesn't stand out, and its characters are flat, but the film does contain a truly immersive scenery and a generally campy tone that makes for an entertaining watch. The performances of the cast, particularly that of Jon Voight, are committed, making it easier for audiences to laugh at the film rather than cringe at its cheesiness. Recently, a remake of Anaconda has been announced, and the new version of the film is said to be a meta-comedy centering around a group of people intending to remake the original film.

4 Splice (2009)

Directed by Vincenzo Natali

When it was first released, Splice earned generally positive critical reviews but still failed to perform well at the box office. Starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley as scientists, Splice sees the couple create a human-animal hybrid creature, which they name Dren. Throughout the film, the threat Dren possesses grows and audiences are to expect a unique horror tale that incorporates complex questions about relationships and scientific experiments.

The performances in Splice are worth celebrating, and the film's writing ensures audiences are emotionally invested in the flawed characters, which isn't always the case in monster movies. There are some disturbing scenes and themes in Splice, which risk turning some audiences away, and overall, the film manages to pull off its familiar premise in a way that satisfies but doesn't impress well-versed sci-fi and horror fans.

3 Silver Bullet (1985)

Directed by Dan Attias

Based on Stephen King's novella Cycle of the Werewolf, Silver Bullet, which is also a movie written by King, failed to impress critics or audiences. Just like many adaptations of King's work, Silver Bullet has an eerie atmosphere throughout the film that is unfortunately underutilized. One of the biggest drawbacks of Silver Bullet is its primary antagonist. The design of the werewolf is difficult to take seriously as it resembles a bear and brings very little terror.

Still, Silver Bullet, which follows a young boy who attempts to capture his town's murderous werewolf, is fun and has a lot of heart. The young boy, played by Corey Haim, teams up with his sister and uncle (Gary Busey) to find the werewolf, and their dynamic is an unexpectedly endearing part of the film. Busey too delivers a memorable performance that should've been enough to salvage the film from negative reviews.

2 Nightbreed (1990)

Directed by Clive Barker

From the director of Hellraiser, the horror fantasy film Nightbreed failed to earn a comparable level of success. The biggest detriment to Nightbreed's success was its marketing. Audiences were made to believe the film was another slasher film within a subgenre that took over the previous decade. However, Nightbreed has a bit more depth and follows a man who teams up with the titular monsters, which he thought were only part of his dreams, in a fight against humans.

The world-building and monster designs are inventive, but Nightbreed's botched marketing isn't the sole reason the film performed poorly critically and commercially. Much of the script in the film's theatrical cut is choppy and leaves the story as a whole feeling hollow. Still, it's a shame Nightbreed's ambition and themes weren't enough to allow the film to be a bigger hit.

1 Colossal (2016)

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

The strange blend of genres and unpredictable storytelling in Colossal might be the reason audiences weren't able to connect with the film right away. Many aspects of the film were praised by critics, including its themes, lead performances, and direction, but Colossal still failed to impress moviegoers. The film stars Anne Hathaway as a young woman who discovers her struggle in life has led her to be connected to a monster destroying Seoul, South Korea.

On paper, Colossal appears to be a monster movie that shouldn't work, yet it does. The pieces of the horror, romance, comedy, and monster genres come together surprisingly well, and audiences willing to in on the wild ride are treated with a well-written and satisfying journey for Hathaway's character. Hathaway holds down much of the film with her performance, but Colossal is nevertheless a captivating monster film that deserved a more receptive audience at the time of its release.